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Original poster

Sashaying into September savings, the frugality continues....

453 replies

Fluffycloudland77 · 01/09/2013 16:08

NSD.

OP posts:
Ihatecobwebs · 16/09/2013 22:20

Hi, I'd like to join.

I've got a lot of expenses to come out in the next few months, and need to seriously rejig our spending to cover them.

Main problem is my car - its become very unreliable, and is costing me a fortune in repairs. We've decided to look for a replacement, and that seems to be around the 2k mark - I'm going to have to go the savings account for that - ouch!

Then, I managed to break a tooth at the weekend, so am going to the dentist tomorrow, and I think it'll cost the highest rate of £214 - a nasty unplanned expenditure.

So this week I need to look at all our expenditure and see where we can make some savings.

AdoraBell · 16/09/2013 23:04

Hi Cremeegg good to see you back and Well done on the NSD.

Confused, Yep just the same as your DH, expect a distinto lack of flowers or chocolatesHmm. I got shopping Today, £70, covers a slightly extravagante BBQ just at home on Wednesday and the rest of the week. Loo roll was on offer, but out of stock, I Sent OH to the other shop on strict instrucciones not to pay full price, the boy done goodGrin

Also had to Get moré bits for DD, another £20

Fluffy Well done on that broadband deal, and Those cat collars sound fabulous Grin

We now have Nothing coming in for the second month I've had enough of this rollercoaster

Welcome to all newbies

Original poster
Fluffycloudland77 · 17/09/2013 07:10

How on earth do you cope Adora? Are there even benefits over there?

OP posts:
prettymess · 17/09/2013 09:08

Hi all, the heating has been turned on, blankets and jumpers are out. Brr, I love autumn, but it's chilly!

DH keeps bugging me with 'stuff he wants'. Games, PS4, building his own pc... Not gonna happen. I do feel mean, but it's just not realistic. Needs first, then wants!

confusedofengland · 17/09/2013 10:50

Just back from hopefully my only spending of the day. Bought some lights for DH's bicycle, as his last ones were nicked Angry so he has been having to take the bus to the station. This is about £3 per day, so the £31 on lights should soon be covered (plus they were half price in Halfords Grin)

Also spent £1.35 in Boots for some Baby bath. Bought pocket packs of tissues & chocolate too Blush but paid for these using advantage points.

DS2 was a little star when we were shopping. I made the conscious decision not to take the pushchair (we were in a retail park) as I want him to be walking everywhere when baby comes, but let him walk & envisaged lots of running off, pulling things off shelves & tantrums. He had a small cry when I made him put the mini shopping trolley back at the end of our Boots visit, but was soon distracted by a stop at Pets at Home to look at the animals. And he didn't run off once! He even carried the bag for me Grin I really think he will start to come into his own now that DS1 is at school all day so I can devote my attention to DS2.

Welcome back CremeEgg hope you have settled into your new house OK.

Welcome to cobwebs Have you thought of buying a secondhand car? My Dad always gets his at the car auction & has had some excellent cars for very little money Smile

CremeEggThief · 17/09/2013 16:21

.

Another NSD so far, as long as I can force myself to wait until tomorrow to get milk (almost out) and kitchenroll

Thatsinteresting · 17/09/2013 19:27

Hello Creme, welcome back. Seems a lot of people are moving/have moved. Very expensive and stressful.

My meal planning is going well. I'll get some more milk and fruit on Thursday. I'm desperately trying not to put the heating on but it's freezing! The dc are toasty in bed so I'm just snuggling under a blanket on the sofa with a hot drink. We only turned it off in May!

Thatsinteresting · 17/09/2013 19:27

Hello Creme, welcome back. Seems a lot of people are moving/have moved. Very expensive and stressful.

My meal planning is going well. I'll get some more milk and fruit on Thursday. I'm desperately trying not to put the heating on but it's freezing! The dc are toasty in bed so I'm just snuggling under a blanket on the sofa with a hot drink. We only turned it off in May!

ilovepicnmix · 17/09/2013 20:31

Got my DS his first pair of shoes today! He's not walking independently so it's a pair of cruisers as I was worried about him going from nothing to proper shoes. Seems I needn't have worried as he loves his new shoes. My ex came with us and paid for half so just £13 from me. Very nice of him but I'd rather he just gave me more money every month and then I might not be on this thread. Oh well. I'll deal with that in the NY.

AdoraBell · 17/09/2013 21:13

Fluffy no benefits, OH tries to build up a kind of kitty but really what happens is he gets far too stressed and ends up at the Dr/in hospital and I try and keep things ticking along while dreaming of the day we can leave, and consuming vast amounts of chocolate. I love the country but can't keep on living like this. It doesn't help that other foreigners we meet can't get their heads around us not having an expat package. Partly why I decided to eschew all the expat clubs and make my own friends among the locals.

NSD

takeaway2 · 17/09/2013 23:06

NSD6! Watching 'britain's broken families' and getting very annoyed. With everybody. Hello all newbies. Everyone welcome here. Smile

claretandamberforever · 18/09/2013 08:25

joining up as I need to get frugal. just marking my spot.

lineup · 18/09/2013 09:34

well last week I had 4 out of 7 NSD

Sun, Mon, Tues NSD and today is looking that way but MY is it hard!

Today: school run, long beach walk, meals planned for the next 2 weeks until end of month and stuck on fridge. Surprisingly easy to stick to it

I'm satisfying my retail urges by just looking at online shopping websites, adding to basket, but not checking out. I soon get distracted by something else and so I feel I have had a good look at pretty things, but without spending the cash!

I'm also making lists for Christmas presents as I look online, to research what is out there so that December pay doesnt get swallowed up with present buying etc. Feeling organised!

confusedofengland · 18/09/2013 09:34

Reckon I'll spend about £15 in Tesco today, including a cheeky Costa if the boys are good (£1 for tea for me, 50p each for babychinos, £1ish for pack of wafers).

Am also going to drop off something I sold on FB today, so that's another £2 in the house tin. Plus a school mum friend has just offered me 2 black bags of baby clothes should DC3 be a girl, she was quite excited at the idea Smile. Also joined Swagbucks last night, not quite sure how it works yet but worth a try.

Off to the village soon, story & rhyme time with DS2, then GP surgery to register, then feed the ducks with a couple of stale crusts. The sun is shining a little here & it makes such a difference!

lineup · 18/09/2013 09:37

also thinking of popping to pound shop to pick up one of those money saving tins which cannot be opened - one for a Christmas fund for goodies/chocs/naice food & the other for 3rd baby fund (due February!!)

confusedofengland · 18/09/2013 09:41

lineup those tins are great! We have one for £2 coins & it is almost half full, we just put any £2 coins straight in there & don't tend to miss them. Some tins can hold up tp £1000, I believe Shock BTW, when in February are you due? I am due DC3 on 27th February (but will be earlier as I have to have ELCS this time) Smile

lineup · 18/09/2013 10:20

thanks Confused & congrats! DC3 on the way! Due very end of Feb, trying to put some spare change away until then - my logic is trying to be that I shall put in the tin the cash I saved by not buying coffees/magazines/etc each day! It's exciting to be having baby no 3, I feel 3 is a lovely number to have.

CremeEggThief · 18/09/2013 11:44

Congratulations to both Confused and Lineup :).

CremeEggThief · 18/09/2013 16:28

£5.82, on a 2nd class stamp and a bit of shopping from Tesco. I usually have a day out on Wednesday, but stayed home and gardened all day instead. Quite satisfying really, especially as it was nice and sunny.

lineup · 18/09/2013 17:15

Thanks CremeEgg Smile

I was also wondering if anyone has a designated 'day out' just for them, I was thinking of making Thursday mornings my day of the week where I get to pick up something treatwise under a fiver just for me...or maybe just taking myself for a browse around the shops with my flask of tea amd biccies to have in the carpark before window shopping. I still love the retail buzz but am teaching myself not to spend anything. It's a good feeling to feel in control and not swept away by marketing/consumerism/capitalism

CremeEggThief · 18/09/2013 18:03

Go for it, Lineup! You won't regret it!

ilovepicnmix · 18/09/2013 19:30

Evening all. Would have been an NSD today but the brown envelope signalling another present collection winged it's way to me so £2 in. Someone else leaving! There will be none of us left soon.

takeaway2 · 18/09/2013 20:00

NSD 7. On a roll but paid out for car insurance - dh paid but it was still going to come out of our joint account. And it was £400. Shock

confusedofengland · 18/09/2013 20:25

Actually spent £18.70 in Tesco, but for that got lots of reduced fruit, veg & bakery bits as well as the stuff I'd planned. Costa was only £1.50 as I used £1.50 worth of points from my loyalty card Smile

Lineup we are in very similar pg situations! How old are your other DC? Mine are 4.9 & 2.5. Definitely treat yourself once a week. Mine used to be Thursday or Friday morning, when I'd go for a swim & then a coffee, which cost no more than £5 altogether. Not doing it atm as devoting every childfree moment to decorating our new house so we can move in asap.

Thingymajigs · 18/09/2013 20:41

I'm another one saving for third baby that is due in Feb. Scan on Friday when we might find out the gender but I'm determined not to go mad buying pink or blue clothes. Trying to save for our house move in 3 weeks time. So much going on.
DP can borrow a van for the move and will ask friends to help which will save us quite a lot. I'm building up a stack of boxes from various shops and I found some bubble wrap and box tape in Poundland so hopefully this will be a cheap move.